|
LINK TO SCRIPTURE READINGS
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph, her husband, a righteous man,
unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
"Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife into your home,
for it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived.
She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means "God is with us."
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded
and took his wife into his home.
Matt 1:18-24.
For my "bedtime reading" last night, I turned to Raymond E. Brown's 752-page tome, The Birth of the Messiah. Looking for new ways of approaching the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, I dived into Brown's summary of how Catholic and Protestant scholars have differed in their approaches to the infancy narratives, followed a few footnotes, and even read Appendix IV in which he defends his scholarship against detractors. Then, recognizing the dangers of information overload, I returned to the actual Gospel, leaving some 700+ pages unread.
Brown points out that Matthew tells the story of Jesus' conception from Joseph's perspective, while Luke invites us into Mary's experience. Mark says nothing at all, beginning his Gospel with the preaching of John the Baptist, while the Fourth Gospel begins with the preexistence of the Word, making no mention of events surrounding Jesus' birth. To add further confusion, Matthew and Luke cover separate events in their narratives: in addition to mentioning Jesus' birth, Matthew includes the coming of the magi, the flight into Egypt, the massacre of the infants, and the return from Egypt; for his part, Luke covers Mary's visit to Elizabeth, the birth of John the Baptist, the journey to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the arrival of the shepherds, the circumcision and naming of Jesus, the presentation in the temple and the return to Nazareth.
Brown cautions against creating a timeline of events or reading these narratives as a history of the Child Jesus. Written after accounts of Jesus' ministry, the passion narratives, and the post-Resurrection stories, the infancy narratives serve as Christological statements that reflect the early Christian community's understanding of the Risen Christ. So what happens if we apply this insight to Matt 1:18-24? Suddenly, we realize that the story answers the question, "Who is the Christmas Christ?" This is not just a sweet tale, but a bold Creed which asserts that the Holy Child was conceived by the Holy Spirit, in fulfillment of the prophecies, to save people from their sins; moreover, it refutes any suggestion that the Child had a human father while also establishing his humanity. The story of Joseph's dilemma, then, presents the Incarnation in dramatic form, leaving "no doubt that Jesus was the Son of God from the moment of his conception" (Brown, 24). It is a story that invites us to journey beyond the tinsel and glitter of the season into the mystery of Love beyond all telling...
+++
QUESTIONS
FOR REFLECTION
-
In these final days of Advent, how are YOU preparing for the celebration of Christmas?
-
Who is the Christmas Christ for YOU?
- Why is it important to read the Christmas narratives through the lens of the Pachal Mystery?
- In what ways has the world tamed Christmas into a birthday party for children?
| 
